Biomaterial Database

Estrogen and progesterone receptors in the fetal and newborn vagina of guinea pig: biological, morphological, and ultrastructural responses to tamoxifen and estradiol. 1986

B L Nguyen, and N Giambiagi, and C Mayrand, and F Lecerf, and J R Pasqualini

Estrogen and progesterone receptors were characterized in the fetal and newborn vagina of guinea pig. The concentrations of estrogen receptor (total sites, cytosol plus nuclei) which were very high [7090 +/- 1700 (+/- SD) fmol/mg DNA] in the fetal vagina (62-64 days gestation) decreased significantly after birth and increased slightly at 2 weeks of age. Tamoxifen (TAM) and estradiol (E2) or the combined treatment (TAM + E2) induced a great increase in weight and DNA content in both the fetal and newborn vagina. After a 12-day treatment to pregnant or newborn guinea pigs, the fetal vagina wet weights (milligrams +/- SD) were as follows: control animals, 87 +/- 14; +TAM, 254 +/- 38; +E2, 177 +/- 19; +(TAM+E2), 218 +/- 41. The values in newborn vaginas were: 155 +/- 40, 434 +/- 75, 477 +/- 49, and 512 +/- 76, respectively. The DNA contents per vagina (in micrograms per +/- SD) in the fetal tissues were as follows: control, 187 +/- 64; +TAM, 563 +/- 74; +E2, 650 +/- 100; and +(TAM+E2), 776 +/- 113; in the newborn vagina these values were: 592 +/- 75, 880 +/- 113; 781 +/- 75, and 901 +/- 15, respectively. Histological studies showed drastic morphological alterations after each of the treatments, particularly in the epithelial cells. Similarly, the ultrastructural examination with transmission electron microscopy showed the alteration of mitochondria, the development of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the formation of numerous vacuoles and secretory granules. TAM stimulated the number of specific sites for progesterone, but less intensely than did E2. However, in the combined experiment (TAM+E2), TAM did not block the action of E2. It is concluded that TAM acts in the fetal and newborn vagina of guinea pigs as a real estrogen agonist.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011960	Receptors, Estrogen	Cytoplasmic proteins that bind estrogens and migrate to the nucleus where they regulate DNA transcription. Evaluation of the state of estrogen receptors in breast cancer patients has become clinically important.	Estrogen Receptor,Estrogen Receptors,Estrogen Nuclear Receptor,Estrogen Receptor Type I,Estrogen Receptor Type II,Estrogen Receptors Type I,Estrogen Receptors Type II,Receptor, Estrogen Nuclear,Receptors, Estrogen, Type I,Receptors, Estrogen, Type II,Nuclear Receptor, Estrogen,Receptor, Estrogen
D011980	Receptors, Progesterone	Specific proteins found in or on cells of progesterone target tissues that specifically combine with progesterone. The cytosol progesterone-receptor complex then associates with the nucleic acids to initiate protein synthesis. There are two kinds of progesterone receptors, A and B. Both are induced by estrogen and have short half-lives.	Progesterone Receptors,Progestin Receptor,Progestin Receptors,Receptor, Progesterone,Receptors, Progestin,Progesterone Receptor,Receptor, Progestin
D002499	Centrifugation, Density Gradient	Separation of particles according to density by employing a gradient of varying densities. At equilibrium each particle settles in the gradient at a point equal to its density. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Centrifugations, Density Gradient,Density Gradient Centrifugation,Density Gradient Centrifugations,Gradient Centrifugation, Density,Gradient Centrifugations, Density
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D004958	Estradiol	The 17-beta-isomer of estradiol, an aromatized C18 steroid with hydroxyl group at 3-beta- and 17-beta-position. Estradiol-17-beta is the most potent form of mammalian estrogenic steroids.	17 beta-Estradiol,Estradiol-17 beta,Oestradiol,17 beta-Oestradiol,Aerodiol,Delestrogen,Estrace,Estraderm TTS,Estradiol Anhydrous,Estradiol Hemihydrate,Estradiol Hemihydrate, (17 alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol Monohydrate,Estradiol Valerate,Estradiol Valeriante,Estradiol, (+-)-Isomer,Estradiol, (-)-Isomer,Estradiol, (16 alpha,17 alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol, (16 alpha,17 beta)-Isomer,Estradiol, (17-alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol, (8 alpha,17 beta)-(+-)-Isomer,Estradiol, (8 alpha,17 beta)-Isomer,Estradiol, (9 beta,17 alpha)-Isomer,Estradiol, (9 beta,17 beta)-Isomer,Estradiol, Monosodium Salt,Estradiol, Sodium Salt,Estradiol-17 alpha,Estradiol-17beta,Ovocyclin,Progynon-Depot,Progynova,Vivelle,17 beta Estradiol,17 beta Oestradiol,Estradiol 17 alpha,Estradiol 17 beta,Estradiol 17beta,Progynon Depot
D005260	Female		Females